The Duck and the Knight: A Fairytale
by AnotherBoringUsername
Summary: Fakir writes a story to turn Duck into a human. Of course things don't work quite as planned... Originally posted on AO3.


_Once upon a time, there was a little duck who fell in love with a prince. Being just a duck, she thought her love was hopeless, until one day she came into the possession of a jewel that allowed her to become a human girl. The prince was kind and handsome, and she could have won his love. The jewel was powerful enough to turn her into a beautiful and sweet princess worthy of it. However, he was loved by another princess, and when the jewel was needed for the prince to save the other, the duck chose to give him her jewel and return to being a duck. The prince and his princess lived happily ever after, and the duck, being a generous and unselfish creature, was content to know that they were happy._

 _However, this is not the story of the prince and his princess; it is the story of the prince's knight. The knight saw the duck's courage and sacrifice, and thought she deserved better than to live the rest of her life swimming in a pond and eating the bread scattered on the ground for her. While she was satisfied with being a duck, he knew she missed dancing and laughing and talking freely with the friends she'd made as a human girl. So, now that the prince's kingdom was at peace and his sword was no longer needed, he resolved to go out into the world and seek a way for her to become human again._

Fakir smiled at the small yellow duck who lifted her head to watch him write. He'd made a bed for her beside his writing desk, a basket filled with small pillows and blankets that she'd turned into a comfortable-looking nest. "Qua?"

He reached down to pat her head gently. "I think I've finally got something this time, Duck. Something I've wanted to write, but haven't been able to for a while."

"Qua."

"I'm really glad. I've been able to write everyone else's happy endings but I think this one will be the best yet." His eyes sparkled with excitement. He'd been able to write everyone's but Duck's and his own; every time he'd put pen to page before now with the intention of turning Duck into a human again the words had failed to flow. Fakir knew that it might be somewhat selfish; wasn't she happy as a duck? And yet… he missed her for some reason. Missed her godawful clumsiness and her too-bright optimism. Missed the way she danced horribly, and yet with every emotion shining through every movement of her skinny body. She was still just as much an inspiration to his writing as ever; he'd never admit to her how many times he had written the end to a story by asking, "What would Princess Tutu do here?" And yet… that wasn't enough. Stories always brought some sort of change to the protagonist - a tragedy brought death, a comedy brought happy rewards, but to Duck it had brought nothing. She was still a duck, as she had always been before her entanglement in Drosselmeyer's story, and it just wasn't right that she had nothing at the end.

Meanwhile, Duck was starting to flutter up and down over the clock… oh. It was three hours past lunchtime. "I'm sorry, are you hungry? Idiot. You should have told me sooner." Fakir got up and stretched his stiff limbs, heading to the kitchen to find bread for Duck and food for himself.

 _No sooner had the knight stepped outside his door than he nearly ran into a stooped old woman selling jewels. His heart leapt in his throat; perhaps she had a jewel like the one the duck had lost?" "Excuse me, Miss," he said, "would you be selling a gem like the one I desire?"_

 _"To find, one must seek," the old woman said. She showed him her wares. "I have many jewels that you might desire. Perhaps the one you desire most may be found here as well. Why do you wish it?"_

 _"I wish for justice," the knight said. "For a friend who has done much and received nothing in return."_

 _The old woman handed him a bright orange gem. "This is Justice. But to give it away, I must receive something of equal value, for Justice may only be dispensed by one who has received the same. Thankfully for you, it is cheap; for few truly appreciate this jewel, and it is found wherever there are honest men."_

 _And so the knight made the trade, took the gem and went to where the duck was. Finding her, he laid the chain around her neck, and she changed into a girl once more, her smile just as beautiful as it had always been._

Fakir had immense difficulty writing the final line, and his pen stuttered to a stop afterward. However, that was fine by him. Duck was sleeping after her meal; it was the perfect time for him to see if his writing had come true.

Sure enough, as soon as he left the house he stumbled into an elderly crone carrying a box. "Forgive me, Miss," he said politely.

"No, no, laddie, I'm an old woman who can't see where I am going. It's me own fault." She smiled at him, a single tooth showing between her cracked lips. "My jewels are fine and that's all that matters." She patted the box. "Poor things, perhaps they will fetch a good price at the market to feed a woman in her old age."

Fakir felt like he spoke in a dream. "Excuse me, Miss, would you be selling a gem like the one I desire?"

The woman waved her hand. "And what sort of gem might that be?"

He'd known that the conversation wouldn't go exactly according to his story, but as long as it retained the spirit, surely it would work. "A friend of mine deserves a better fate than the one she received, and perhaps with the right jewel she can find it."

"Ah, ye be looking for this one, laddie." She held up an orange gem exactly like the one he'd envisioned while writing. "This be Justice. It's only a few silvers; I was hoping to keep it during my trading today but if you want it so much you can have it."

Fakir had absolutely no problem finding the right amount in his purse. He'd become a moderately successful writer, mostly thanks to Autor's editing and bullying of publishing companies. After Autor had married Lilie, he'd become somewhat friendlier to Fakir.

Taking the jewel, he hurried inside to where Duck was sleeping. "Duck? I have a present for you."

 _[strike]... and she changed into a girl once more, her smile just as beautiful as it had always been.[/strike] but nothing happened. Though the duck was delighted with the beautiful jewel, and it glowed beautifully when placed around her neck, it changed nothing. No matter what the knight and the duck tried, the duck remained a duck._

 _The knight was not the sort to give up after a single failure, so not too long afterward he left his home to search for a way to make the duck a human girl again. This time the duck followed him, waddling along on her short legs before the knight picked her up and carried her in his arms. Coming to a bench beside a lovely pond, he decided to sit down and let the duck swim happily in the sparkling water._

 _A voice spoke from the oak tree beside him. "I see that there is something you want. Tell me, what is it? I want to know."_

 _"I have a friend who I want to see smile and dance again," the knight responded. "She can no longer do so, and it pains me to see her in such a state."_

 _"A desire to help a friend is a noble one indeed," the oak tree said. "If you wish to see your friend smile and dance again, there is a fountain not too far from here, though hidden from all who approach it selfishly. Bring your friend there; perhaps it will help to ease her sad condition."_

 _The knight waited until the duck had swam to her heart's content, then took the duck in his arms again and went to where the fountain stood. A wooden sign that stood beside it said, "Bathe here and you will have your heart's desire." The duck hopped from his arms and swam about joyfully, turning into the beautiful human girl, her former self aged to the maturity that she would have been had she remained human._

"I'm going out," he told Duck as he laid down his pen and stood.

She fluttered down to the floor. "Qua qua."

"You coming along?" he asked her, despite knowing that the only answer he'd receive was "Qua."

Outside, the sun shone far too brightly on the cobblestones of the street, and Fakir picked up Duck so she wouldn't burn her feet. She'd left the orange gem at the house, likely to avoid losing it through her clumsiness. She nestled happily into his arms, making small noises of contentment.

As he had written in the story, he sat on the bench shaded by an oak tree beside the duck pond and released Duck to swim freely. She paddled happily about, and he smiled as he watched her. While he wanted to see Duck as a human again, there was something pleasant about watching the downy ball of fluff paddling about in bliss at something so small as a bit of water and a sunny day. A few minutes later, as he'd suspected, a voice spoke soon out of the nearby tree, much like that of the old oak he'd spoken to when Autor had given him the Test.

"Your smile is joyful, and yet there is sadness in it. Tell me why?" To Fakir's surprise, a woman stepped from behind the tree; just a woman who looked like an ordinary villager. She had kind eyes and a warm smile, a face framed with soft brown hair and a dress covered with a white apron.

"I have a friend who I want to see smile and dance again. She's happy enough despite her current state, but I think she could be happier."

"You want to help a friend? How sweet! Let me tell you a secret, then. If you go to the other side of this pond and through that thicket and carry your friend, you will find a fountain that might be able to give you what you desire."

"Thank you," Fakir said to the tree, and lapsed into silence, watching Duck bob and splash in the pond.

About thirty minutes later she flapped out of the pond and toward Fakir, who picked her up again. "Duck, I have a place I want to take you. There's something I want to try."

 _While it was true that she turned into a girl, bringing the knight joy for a few blissful moments, with sorrow he found that the moment she stepped out of the fountain the duck became a duck once again. According to another stone on the other side of the fountain, it only worked as long as one stood within the fountain, and it would only work once for those who sought it. The knight was heartbroken, for they had wasted the chance to talk to each other again. He climbed in himself and she turned once more into a human, and they did talk for a while, the knight delighting the whole time in hearing her voice; but the chilly water of the fountain numbed his bones and nearly froze him, requiring the duck to drag him from the fountain lest he freeze to death._

 _However, he learned that she was happy with his efforts to return her to her human form, despite her contentment as a duck, and so his resolve strengthened to find a way to do so. He was even more sure of himself the next time he set out, the duck in his arms and a set of clothing for her in a basket at his side. Wasn't it always the third attempt that succeeded in fairy tales? This time, his steps took him beyond the city walls. When the path took him into a dark forest, he bravely continued, despite the deep shade that surrounded him and the strange noises and rustlings; for he was a knight, and he had seen far greater terrors. The path took them to a little house, very worn and inhabited by an old woman who was outside, puttering about with a garden full of herbs._

 _The knight was fearful now, for the woman seemed very witch-like and the knight disliked fighting against magic. As he was about to go back the way he'd come, a bear came out of the forest and attacked the old woman. Drawing his sword, the knight rushed immediately to her defense. While he fought bravely and gained the upper hand, when it came time to strike the final blow against the bear he couldn't kill it. At the final moment the bear backed away and ran into the forest again, and the knight turned to see if the old woman was all right._

 _"I'm fine, my dear," the old woman said. "Thank you for saving me. However can I ever repay you?"_

 _"Do you have an herb here that will turn a duck into a human?" the knight asked. "For I believe she is more human than many I have met and should have a form that matches her heart."_

 _"I do have such a flower that may work," the old woman said thoughtfully. "It exposes the true nature of all who touch it, so that they become the creature that they are in their heart. I myself was once a rabbit; and the bear you fought was once a man. He believes that I am the one responsible for his unfortunate change, which, alas, is permanent. Beware."_

 _Who was more human at heart than the duck? thought the knight, for she was kind and brave and good. The duck fluttered its wings and flapped to the ground, touching the flower that the old woman pointed out and immediately becoming the beautiful girl that the knight knew she was._

Fakir regretted following the overgrown path, not for his own sake but because Duck was trembling more with every step. When he saw the house with the a small figure in a flowered dress bending to water a garden full of strange flowers, he had to soothe her by stroking her head. He lingered, knowing that the bear would show up at any time, and - there it was. He rushed forward, gently placing Duck and the basket beside the garden and leaping in front of the bear, his sword raised.

Thankfully little of his skill had abandoned him, despite him being somewhat out of practice. The bear's attacks were clumsy and blundering. As he held the sword over the bear's neck, Fakir whispered, "I don't want to kill you, and I'm sure you don't want to die either. I suggest you go away now."

The bear trundled away, and Fakir turned to the woman behind him. Or… girl. This was definitely a tiny, white-haired child, with blue eyes that stared at him solemnly, holding Duck in her arms. "You have a pretty ducky," the child said.

"Thank you," Fakir responded, kneeling so he was on eye-level.

"Is the ducky really a ducky, though?" the girl said. "I was a bunny once, and that bear was a big scary man. He's still scary, but he's a bear now. It's because of the flower," the girl said.

"Is it?" Fakir said. "Do you want to see if the ducky is really a ducky?"

The girl nodded and picked a flower, holding it out to Duck. "Here, ducky."

 _Alas, despite the potency of the flower, the knight sorrowfully learned from the woman that it only worked within the boundaries of the forest. Standing on the forest's edge, the knight spoke to the duck of leaving his home and building one in the forest where they could live together with her as a human. The girl thanked him but refused, saying that it was worthless to be human if it would tear them away from their happy life among the townspeople. Even if they didn't remember her, even if she couldn't speak with them, it was better to see them smiling and dancing and laughing than be able to do so herself. However, she would happily join the knight on walks to the forest where they could speak to each other again._

 _However, as often as they walked in that direction afterward, they could never find the forest, and the knight began to despair._

Fakir tapped his pen against the desk in annoyance. It was true that he'd gotten to see Duck again as her human self a few times; if these failures only resulted in fleeting moments of hearing her laugh once more, he would continue to write. On the other hand, it was also torture; what he wanted was within his grasp, and every time it was snatched away. The story wasn't sticking; something was missing.

Duck was sleeping again. Why was he so obsessed with this story? Duck was happy being a duck; he'd promised to be with her forever and that had seemed to satisfy her enough to give up the jewel that made her Princess Tutu. Why wasn't he content with that? He had her here, and the longer he had her with him the more he grew attuned to her thoughts and feelings to the point that they could almost hold a conversation. What was so important about her becoming a human? What did he want?

 _To hold her in his arms and kiss her and -_

Where on earth had _that_ come from?

His eyes fell to the orange jewel that lay on the table beside the duck's bed.

 _The knight decided to sit in his house and not set forth, for at least if he stayed he would not frighten the duck with forests and bears or offer her false hope. And as he sat and watched her contentment in simply being by his side, he realized that he did not seek a way to make her human because of a sense of justice, or pity, or kindness. Rather, he loved her and wished to make her his equal so that she might perhaps in time fall in love with him too. But whether she ever loved him or not, he still wanted to see her happy; that was enough for someone in love._

 _He took the orange gem on the chain that had been sold to him in his hand and spoke to it. "I have a fair trade that I wish to make. I will give the duck half of my humanity, so that she may be a human for half of the time with me, if she will give me half of her duckhood, so that I will be a duck half the time with her. That is just, is it not?" The orange gem glowed brightly in response, and the knight placed it around his neck. At once the duck turned once again into a human._

 _From then on, every night when the sun went down the knight and the duck were ducks, and every morning when the sun rose they became human once more._

Fakir froze. Nothing had slowed his pen this time, as it had before; he was almost sure that this would work. Duck stretched her wings and blinked, big blue eyes looking up at him.

Was he willing to become a duck for her sake? If this backfired, and he was stuck as a duck… It didn't matter. He would be by her side forever, no matter what his form. He stroked her downy back and smiled. "I have one more thing to try," he said. "It's not quite what we were thinking, but…"

"Qua?"

"Well, I think the results will please me well enough." He glanced outside; he'd written through the night, and dawn was coming soon. "Here." He placed the orange gem around his neck.

Immediately his world went dark. Moving, he realized that he was covered with clothing. He struggled out of it - a difficult proposition with wings. At least the orange gem had stayed around his neck.

"Qua! Qua qua qua qua -" he heard Duck saying.

He responded with a placating "Qua." Any moment now, the sun would peek through the window, and -

With the rays of the sun, magic swirled through him and he was a human once more. And in front of him was Duck, very human, blinking startledly at everything.

… And very naked, as was he. Grabbing his pants, he hurriedly turned around and held out the basket of clothes he'd set next to the table toward her. "Get dressed," he said, the excitement barely suppressed in his voice.

"Fakir? What did you do? I was so worried and I thought you were a duck and you're not supposed to be a duck and -"

"Calm down, moron. I'll only be a duck half the time. It's all fair, see - I'm a duck half the time, you're a human half the time." She must be dressed by now. He turned to see her, finding her face completely red.

"You did that for me? But why?" she said uncertainly.

"Because… because…" Fakir could feel his own cheeks growing uncharacteristically warm. He looked away. "Because I love you, but it's okay, you don't have to love me too, I know Mythos -"

A pair of warm arms wrapped around him, and he looked down into her sparkling blue eyes. So warm, so full of life and kindness - and her mouth was turned up into a smile, just as he'd wished. Tears sparkled in the corners of her eyes. That's… less what he wished. But the words she said made up for it. "I love you, too, dummy. You should have said something sooner."

He hardly dared to believe that he could wrap his own arm around her slender waist and pull her tightly against him, and stroke her coppery hair gently with his other hand; but she did not resist, instead laying her head against his shoulder. "But I thought - Mythos?"

She was here, _human_ , warm in his arms and he was sure the story would stick this time. "He loved Princess Tutu, not _me_. You danced with me when I was my clumsy self, and loved me when I was just a duck. You'd… you'd become a duck, just for me." She ducked her head and murmured into his shoulder. "They got their happy ending. And now, you've written ours, haven't you?"

Fakir smiled down at her little bent head, and sniffed as the hair that stuck straight up tickled his nose. "Almost. One more thing."

 _Though the knight had hardly dared to hope, when she became human the duck told him that she was in love with him too. They settled down together, and the duck found her old friends and danced and laughed and talked with them again even more joyfully than before, as everyone was far happier now than when she had been a human previously; and the knight and the duck never ceased to love each other dearly._

 _And they all lived happily ever after._

And they did.


End file.
